Dispenser with venting means

ABSTRACT

A liquid container has a special fitting onto which either a closure member or a dispensing valve may be threaded. When the closure member is in place it seals a main dispensing bore as well as a vent bore. When the dispensing valve is in place it presses a sealing washer against a shouldered portion to prevent leakage through the main bore and also such sealing washer spaces the valve from the vent bore to allow the interior of the container to be vented to the atmosphere.

Waited Mates Patent Fralim et a1,

[54] DISPENSER WITH VENTHNG MEANS [72] Inventors: Carl E. Frahm; Shirley E. Frahm, both of 1428 Oak Meadow Road, Arcadia, Calif. 91006 22 .Filed: Aug. 4, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 847,029

52 U.S.Cl. ..222/481,222/544,220/D1G.27,

215/79 [51] lnt.Cl ..B67d3/00 [5s] FieldofSearch HZ/478,480,481,481.5,479.

222/484, 482, 107, 105, 153, 522, 523, 541, 568; 220/39, 86 R, DIG. 27, 44 R; 137/588; 215/79, 11

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,103.111 12/1937 Ekdahl ..222/478 X 3,061.151 10/1962 Clare ..222/478 May 9, 1972 3,117.701 1/1964 Stull ..222/479 X 3,206,075 9/1965 Sch0l1e ..222/105 2,827,930 3/1958 Seegrist ..l37/588X FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 855,231 5/1940 Franee .222/479 Primary Emminer-Robert Bl Reeves Assistant E.\'uminerLurry H. Martin l-ltmrney-Lyon & Lyon [57] ABSTRACT A liquid container has a special fitting onto which either a closure member or a dispensing valve may be threaded. When the closure member is in place it seals a main dispensing bore as well as a vent bore. When the dispensing valve is in place it presses a sealing washer against a shouldered portion to prevent leakage through the main bore and also such sealing washer spaces the valve from the vent bore to allow the interior of the container to be vented to the atmosphere 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMAY 91912 S w w WA 7 [Wm .M aw a ma B DISPENSER WITH VEN'IIING MEANS The present invention relates to liquid handling apparatus and more specifically to container fittings which are adapted to maintain the liquid in sealed condition during shipment and storage and which are also adapted to receive a valve for subsequent dispensing of liquid from the container.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple inexpensive apparatus particularly useful in the handling of containers and the dispensing of liquid therefrom.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus of this character which assures good sealing during shipping and storage and provides venting during subsequent dispensing.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

This invention itself, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of the container in a sealed condition and mounted on a dispensing stand.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows the apparatus in a dispensing condition with a dispensing valve mounted on the container, the container resting on a stand as in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 3.

The liquid container is shown in inverted position in FIG. 1 resting on a stand 12 which has an upper peripheral edge portion 12A that enters into and engages a generally annular grooved portion 10A of container 10 to thereby provide the sole support for the container during subsequent dispensing operations as discussed more fully below in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4 when the valve 14 of FIGS. 3 and 4 is substituted for the temporary closure 16 of FIG. 1.

A flanged bushing 18 extends through the container opening 108 with the flanged portion 18A engaging the inner portion of the container and with the nut 20 on the outer threaded bushing portion 18C pressing a sealing washer 21 against the outer container wall to thereby secure the bushing 18 on the container 10.

The bushing 18 includes an inner threaded portion 18D concentric with outer portion 18C and separated therefrom by a shouldered portion 18E. A vent opening 18F in the form ofa bore extends through such enlarged outer portion 18C and one end of such bore extends through such shouldered portion 18E, the other end of vent bore 18F being enlarged to receive the vent tube 22.

Normally, during shipment and storage the inner bore 186 of bushing 18 is sealed by the closure member 16 which is threaded on the inner threaded portion 18D and which presses a sealing washer 24 against the shouldered portion 18E to seal the vent bore 18F. Thus liquid can not leak out of either the main bore 186 or the vent bore 18F.

When it is desired to condition the container for dispensing of liquid the container 10 is inverted from its position shown in FIG. 1 and the closure member 16 and sealing washer 18E are removed after which a smaller sealing washer 26 which may be in the form of an O-ring is slipped over the inner threaded portion 18D and then the valve 14 is threaded on such bushing portion 18D to press the sealing washer 26 against only the innermost portion of shoulder 18E. In such condition it is seen that the sealing washer 26 besides serving its normal function of preventing leakage of liquid from the main bore 18E also spaces the body of valve 14 from the end of vent bore 18F to thereby provide communication between the inside and outside of container 10 via bore 18F and vent tube 22 and thus facilitate dispensing of liquid in the absence of subatmospheric pressures.

While the particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without de arting from the invention in its broader aspects and, there ore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus useful in the shipping, storage and dispensing of liquids from a container comprising a bushing having an outer portion and an inner portion separated by a shouldered portion, means on said outer portion for securing said bushing on said container, a vent bore extending through said outer portion and through said shouldered portion, closure means removably mounted on said inner portion and contacting said shouldered portion and sealing one end of said vent bore, a valve body removably mounted on said inner portion as a unit; and means interposed between said valve body and said shouldered portion and spacing said valve body from said one end of said vent bore in said shouldered portion to maintain said vent bore open to the surrounding atmosphere and thereby allow venting of the interior of said container independently of any openings in or through the valve body itself.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said closure means includes a threaded cap and a flat sealing washer which may be pressed by said cap against said one end of said vent bore to seal the same, and the last-mentioned means is a sealing washer having an outer diameter substantially less than the outer diameter of said flat washer.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a bushing having a flanged portion, an outer portion smaller than said flanged portion, an inner threaded portion smaller than said outer portion and separated therefrom by a shouldered portion, a vent bore extending through said outer portion and through said shouldered portion, a sealing ring on said inner threaded portion, a valve body on said inner threaded portion and contacting said sealing ring, and said sealing ring spacing said valve body from said vent bore to maintain said vent bore open to the surrounding atmosphere independently of any openings in or through the valve body itself. 

1. Apparatus useful in the shipping, storage and dispensing of liquids from a container comprising a bushing having an outer portion and an inner portion separated by a shouldered portion, means on said outer portion for securing said bushing on said container, a vent bore extending through said outer portion and through said shouldered portion, closure means removably mounted on said inner portion and contacting said shouldered portion and sealing one end of said vent bore, a valve body removably mounted on said inner portion as a unit; and means interposed between said valve body and said shouldered portion and spacing said valve body from said one end of said vent bore in said shouldered portion to maintain said vent bore open to the surrounding atmosphere and thereby allow venting of the interior of said container independently of any openings in or through the valve body itself.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said closure means includes a threaded cap and a flat sealing washer which may be pressed by said cap against said one end of said vent bore to seal the same, and the last-mentioned means is a sealing washer having an outer diameter substantially less than the outer diameter of said flat washer.
 3. In apparatus of the character described, a bushing having a flanged portion, an outer portion smaller than said flanged portion, an inner threaded portion smaller than said outer portion and separated therefrom by a shouldered portion, a vent bore extending through said outer portion and through said shouldered portion, a sealing ring on said inner threaded portion, a valve body on said inner threaded portion and contacting said sealing ring, and said sealing ring spacing said valve body from said vent bore to maintain said vent bore open to the surrounding atmosphere independently of any openings in or through the valve body itself. 